Fireproof floqr and ceiling



(No Model.) l

O. A. BALPH. PIRBPROOP FLOOR AND CEILING.

Patented Mar. 23, 1897.

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CHARLES A. BALPII, OF PITTSEURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

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SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 579,375, dated March 23, 1897. Application filed December 19, 1896. Serial No. 616,267x (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. BALPH, a resident of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fireproof Floors and Ceilings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to fireproof floors and ceilings, and more particularly to that form which is set forth in Letters Patent of the United States No. 527,042, granted to Elisha P. S.lV1igl1t and myself October 9, 1894. The invention contained in said Letters Patent consists, briefly stated, in a fireproof floor and ceiling construction composed of the main supporting beams and bars of metal of a length corresponding substantially to the space between the beams and extending transversely of and connected to the beams, said bars being supported on their edges and completely embedded in concrete. These bars either had plain sides or were roughened or ribbed and acted to support the concrete.

The present invention relates to the form of these bars; and it consists in having said bars indented or toothed along their upper edges for the reasons more fully hereinafter set forth.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will describe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a cross-section of a portion of a floor and ceiling embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a line view of a modified form of my invention.

Fig. 1 of the drawings shows my invention as applied to a floor and ceiling construction in which an air-space is formed between the floor and ceiling. The letter a designates I- beams of suitable size and supported in the ordinary manner. The metal bars Z), which support the floor, have the ends 19, adapted to rest upon the upper flanges of the beams a, whereby said bars are supported on their edges. By the expression supported on their edges I mean that the bars are so sup ported that their broad sides are in a vertical plane. The upper edges of the bars Z) are indented or toothed, as at 21*, and I do not limit myself in any. manner to the particular .comes as hard as stone.

shape of these indentations, though they are preferably made wider at the top, as shown. These bars are arranged at suitable intervals apart.

Restingwith their ends on the lower flanges of the beams a are the bars 0, which can be lighter than the bars Z), as they do not carry so much weight. These bars 0 have also the indentations or serrations c and are likewise supported on their edges.

As the construction of the ceiling is usually the first step, a temporary platform to support the concrete while it is being laid is first erected. This platform is usually termed a centering by the builder, and as its construction and manner of use are Well known to those skilled in the art it needs no further description. When the centering has been erected, the concrete (1 is laid, said concrete entering the indentations c and completely embedding the bars in the manner illustrated. When the ceiling has been constructed, a centering is then erected for the floor and the concrete cl is laid in the same manner as before, so as to enter the indentations b and completely embed the bars I).

I thus have a floor and ceiling consisting of metal bars indented on their upper edges and supported by the beams, said bars being completely embedded in concrete, which be- The indentations are filled up by the concrete, so that I obtain a greater thickness of concrete directly above the edges of the bars, and consequentlyl obtain a iloor of greater carrying power. The strength of the bars is not materially reduced by the indentations, so that less metal is required, while at the same time by the use of the indentations I obtain greater strength with less concrete than where the bars with straight upper edges are employed. In the latter case to get the same strength it would be necessary to have the thickness of concrete above the edges the same as that from the bottom of the indentations. It is apparent,

therefore, that by the use of the indentations I make a saving in the amount of concrete used. Again, the indentations perform an important function in that in case the load carried by the floor should be so great as to tend to cause the bending or buckling of the bars at their indentations, for instance, at

about the middle of the bars, the concrete filling the indentations Will not permit the bars to bend. The bars in order to bend or sag must crush the concrete in the indentations, but the crushing strain of the concrete is so great it resists any tendency which the bars have to bend. Consequently the floor remains rigid and firm and Without depressions.

In Fig. 2 I have illustrated my invention as applied to a fireproof construction in Which the floor and ceiling are one body of concrete. In this case only one set of bars (2 are employed. I have illustrated these bars a as supported by the beams f at points below the upper flanges. Angles g are secured to the Webs of the beams, and the bars 6 are riveted to said angles. The bars, together with the beams, in this case are completely embedded in the concrete.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a floor or ceiling, the combination With supporting-beams, of metal bars extending transversely of and supported by said beams, said bars being supported on their edges and having indentations formed on their upper edges, and a filling of concrete embedding said bars and supported thereby, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I, the said CHARLES A. BALPH, have hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES A. BALPH.

\Vitnesses:

RoBT. D. ToTTEN, ROBERT C. TOTTEN. 

